Tracker Grizzly 2072 Jon Boat Review

The 2023 Tracker Grizzly 2072 CC (Center console) jon boat is one of the largest aluminum boats in the Tracker Grizzly family. This is for anglers who want a lot of space and intend to bring friends or the family out on the water and need a good deal of space, deck storage compartments, and power to make it all happen. You’re not likely to find many other jon boats of this size that are as sturdy and reliable but the price may be a little prohibitive for some at first glance though it’s in line with many competitors like the Sea Ark 2072, for instance. 

The 2072 is a 21’5” foot boat that offers a great option for those looking for a solid and sturdy aluminum jon boat that is built tough and can easily be used for hunting or some grunt work. With the right motor this is a true workhorse that can withstand rough conditions as easily as those calm shallows.

What Is it 

You can order your Tracker Grizzly 2072 CC actually comes with three potential options in terms of the specific jon boat you’re looking for. There’s the CC version, the CC Sportsman and the CC Sportsman Kicker. We’re covering just the CC in this review but it’s worth understanding what the other two are.

With ample space and room for up to 9 people this is definitely a vessel meant to be enjoyed in groups out on the water. If you’re the kind of angler who wants to be able to bring the family out but you’re worried about kids being underfoot, then this is a great option in terms of the space available to you. 

As with most Tracker boats, your options when it comes to what you can get with a 2072 are limited and include a couple of engines and paint choices.

2072 Variants

The Tracker Grizzly 2027 Sportsman will set you back an extra $8,000 over the 2072 base price. It’s designed to be a bowfishing boat rather than just a typical fishing vessel. What does that mean? A seriously elevated deck to give you better positioning over your prey. There’s also improved LED lights inside and outside to blast the water with 100,000 lumens of light. It also features additional storage and other amenities.

The Tracker Grizzly 2072 Sportsman Kicker is Tracker’s absolute beast of a boat. This one is about $18,000 more than the base 2072 model. Like the Sportsman this has a raised platform for bowfishing and it also features a 9.9 hp kicker motor that can be controlled from the platform as well as a MinnKota Riptide Fortrex SF 36V trolling motor and the intense lighting set up

With a few camo paint options the boat can also serve hunters well who want to head out for waterfowl. The Grizzly is a boat that works well for those who want a bare bones but still well made fishing boat that is reliable, sturdy and gets the job done.

Key Features

There are not a laundry list of options that come with a Tracker Grizzly 2070 but it does have some exceptional features that make it a standout. Your biggest option is going to be choosing between motors. Your default for the base model is the 115 EXLPT Mercury Four Stroke. You can give this an upgrade to the 150 XL Four Stroke and we’ll get more into the price point for this further down. For now, let’s look at those features that will either make or break this as a fishing boat for most anglers.

• 32 gallon rotomolded and aerated live well with dividers and rounded corners located at the bow
• A second 9 gallon live well in front of the center console with a padded cushion seat and backrest.
• A sport steering wheel with Baystar hydraulic steering
• Tracker’s big selling point is their 5 year bow-to-stern warranty that covers parts and labor for defects in materials and workmanship on electrical components, live wells and plumbing, stereo, gauges, switches, console, windshield, steering wheel, fishing seats, carpet, vinyl, fuel system and gelcoat and more
• Limited lifetime warranty on hull, interior ribs, transom, exterior welds and decking
• 3 year warranty on powder coat adhesion to the aluminum, plus the factory-installed trolling motor and the factory-installed fishfinder for three years.
• EPA compliant fuel system
• Storage area with curtain, vertical rod holders and more
• Massive front deck space
• Numerous pedestal seat base locations – 3 on the bow deck and 2 aft.
• Lockable, large storage compartment at the bow deck and aft deck
• Starboard lockable storage compartments
• VERSATRACK accessory-mounting channel in gunnels
• Trolling motor mounting surface
• Thicker aluminum floors allow for a more quiet ride overall
• 4 tie off cleats
• Nav lights
• Foam is welded into the interior walls for added structure and sound dampening. 
• 1-piece extruded aluminum gunnels are heavy duty and offer exceptional strength
• Numerous hull and structural elements add to overall strength as well as stability ensuring a smooth ride in a tough vessel

Specs

• 21’5” long
• 8’3” beam
• 18” interior depth
• 25” transom height
• 0.100 5052 marine alloy hull
• 9 person max capacity or 1230 lbs
• Max total capacity of 19500 lbs
• Dry weight 1480 lbs

Pros

• Aside from the bowhunting variants of the 2072, this is the biggest Tracker Grizzly model you can get and it’s about as big as most jon boats ever get. It’s an absolute monster on the water and that’s great if you want a boat that can stand up to just about anything that’s going to be thrown at it on the water. Some smaller and lighter jon boats are great in those shallows on a still lake or pond but meet a challenge if they’re on a bigger body of water when things get a little rough. Not that I’d ever recommend taking a jon boat to challenge the high seas but if you’re in some chop, this boat can handle it really well.
• As always, I have to give props to the Tracker Grizzly warranty. It might be the best factory warranty in the industry and this thing covers almost everything on the boat. Not 100% of everything, but much more than most warranties do and that’s worth some consideration. If you’re nervous about such a big investment, the warranty coverage is a real comfort.
• The casting deck has room for three or four people to very comfortably be fishing alongside one another without getting in the way. Space is in good supply here.
• Because the boat is fully welded aluminum, which is one of Tracker’s biggest selling points, it’s a tough boat as I’ve said. The structure is what sets this apart from a lot of competition. It’s solid and sturdy and, if taken care of, will outlast a lot of lesser boats.
• Despite its size, this handles really well on the water and it’s a lot gentler and quieter than you might expect for such a tank.

Cons

• One of the problems I’ve heard about these larger Tracker models is that the two motor options can really have a wide performance gap between them, insofar as the less powerful motor may not be up to snuff for you. If you have your boat fully loaded with people and supplies, you might find things a little sluggish. Really, it depends on how you’re fishing and where, of course. In many cases it can be adequate but if you have a full crew, you’re loaded with fuel and gear, and you find yourself headed towards some chop, it can be hard to get that nose up sometimes. The more powerful engine option can make all the difference.
• The console can be a little cramped if you’re looking to add on a fishfinder and other gadgets and you may feel better choosing a smaller model just so you’re not too crowded.
• Speaking of space, though there is room for many seats there aren’t many seats to start with and that means you may want to invest in seats and that’s an additional cost. It might have been nicer if the boat came standard with spots for at least a couple of people to have a seat.
• As with other Tracker boats, some owners have brought up issues with the welded seams. For what it’s worth, I have heard fewer complaints about this model than some of the other, smaller boats but that would be due to the smaller models being more popular overall so more people have them and can report bad experiences. 
• Rod storage is oddly not up to snuff on this boat, in my opinion. Yes, it’s easy enough to make some simple mods and include more rod storage but, for a fishing boat, it would have been nice to have more rod storage and rod holders to begin with.

Price

Straight from Tracker’s website the Grizzly 2072 is going to set you back $31,595. That’s pretty much as is, right off the lot. But if you do want to make a few tweaks you can. As mentioned above, you can upgrade to the more powerful 150 engine. Doing that takes you from $31,595 to $34,395. All things being equal, not a bad price upgrade for a decent boost in power if you feel like you need it. 

Tracker is also pretty conservative with their color options. Your default boat color is going to be Forest Green and there’s no charge for that. If you want, you can upgrade to Grassland Camo or Woodland Camo. Either of these choices will add $500 to the overall price.

Your final major option here is to get a trailer that you can use to haul your new jon boat around. For a Tandem-axle trailer upgrade with two brakes the cost is $1,675. So the total package can get up to around $37,000, depending on what you feel like doing here.

Probably one of the biggest complaints I’ve seen about the Tracker Grizzly lineup of boats is right here – these can be pricey boats. But they are fully aluminum, welded boats as well and that’s where the money is going. It’s true that you can get other jon boats for arguably a lot cheaper, and even aluminum ones, so the debate really comes down to what you expect to get out of your boat.

The Tracker Grizzly is really built like a tank. These are sturdy, solid and powerful. But if you’re just an angler that wants to head out to pick off a few bass every few weeks then maybe this is more boat and more investment than you want and that’s fair. Not every boat meets everyone’s needs, right? Doesn’t mean it’s a bad boat, maybe it’s just not for you.

If you want a sturdy boat that can handle a lot and will endure over the long haul, then the Tracker Grizzly 2072 is probably worth checking out. The investment is worth it in the long run if you’re looking for reliability. 

What You Need to Know

The Tracker Grizzly 2072 is aluminum and fully welded, so no wooden parts here or flimsy additions that won’t last more than a few seasons. You may be able to find similar boats that are cheaper but they’re probably riveted and not welded and that’s a key point. That full aluminum welded hull is where a lot of your money is going on this boat. It can definitely be too much for some people and, really, not everyone is going to need a 20 foot jon boat. But if you do want one that size, this is a literally solid choice. 

What People Are Saying

Lots of Tracker owners have positive feedback for the 2072 model with only a handful of minor complaints. Big selling points on this model that people have expressed relate to the ample storage as well as the quality of the welds. 

Like we’ve mentioned before, Tracker has a spotty history with welds and some people,especially owners of the 16 foot models, have had a real beef with bad welds in the past. Not to give the impression that most or even a lot of these boats have bad welds, it’s just one of the more common complaints. But in this case, there are very few. 

Honestly, it seems like one of those things that will be inevitable with at least a few that come off the line. Like how you can get a brand new car and for some reason the wiring is bad in your model and almost no one else’s.

The storage has been pointed out more than once as great despite rod storage specifically lacking. The seating issue has also come up more than once. For a boat that can hold 9 people, some owners feel like maybe an added seat or two on the base model would have been a nice touch.

Tangentially related to this is that it’s really easy to mod this boat. You have the space and opportunity all over to add some custom touches like rod holders, seating and really dozens of touches that can meet your specific fishing or hunting needs. Because the boat is kind of bare bones right off the bat, it lends itself to the idea of custom upgrades that really make it your own and a lot of boaters seem to like that. 

Warranty

You’ll really find a mixed bag of opinions online about the Tracker Grizzly warranty. I’ve already explained why I think it’s great but that’s just how it looks on the surface. I’ve never needed to call in anything before. For most, the vast majority of owners, the warranty process is not an issue. But for some, it has proven to be a real hassle. Issues have come up like the company not responding or not responding quickly, repairs being denied and some things that people thought were covered not actually being covered. It’s really all over the map. 

Keep in mind, when we talk about bad warranty experiences, we’re talking about a clear minority. We’re just mentioning it here because it has come up more than once and that means there are probably some people who never posted about it online as well. It may not be a pervasive issue, but it is a repeated one.

Power

As mentioned, the motor may not be able to provide you with the power you want in some very specific circumstances. Fully loaded and in rough waters, you may find the boat dragging a little. But you may also find that you never want to really open the boat up and give it all you can, either. If you have kids on board, especially, the walls seem a little low to be pushing the engine too hard and risking anyone going overboard. It is a jon boat, after all, and there are no big, sturdy guard rails or anything else to hold people in. 

Pricing

In a lot of forums where people debate what kind of boat they are interested in buying, the price of the Tracker Grizzly is probably brought up as the biggest point against it by those who are trying to decide what boat they want to invest in. The jon boat field has a lot of relatively inexpensive options so those that cost more stand out in a way that can make some boaters feel a bit anxious. Again, the price is reflective of what has gone into it. Aluminum construction, usually solid welds, and a powerhouse on the water. But it’s definitely a big, if not the biggest, consideration for most buyers. 

There are other aluminum boat options that are close in price to the Tracker Grizzly and a few that are considerably cheaper. When you leave aluminum behind and go for boats with cheaper materials it’s actually hard to find them at this size. There are some fiberglass options but truly cheap boats, like polyurethane, are only available in the smallest sizes and couldn’t hold up at 20+ feet so that’s not a consideration.

If you want a quality job boat at this size, aluminum is generally your best option but welds tend to be better than rivets in terms of strength and reliability. The real difference is the quality of the aluminum as Tracker does use thick, high quality metal compared to some cheaper options out there. 

Do We Recommend Thee Tracker Grizzly 2072 CC?

There’s a reason that Tracker Grizzly boats have a great reputation and are often some of the best selling jon boats on the market. The value is there, the function is there, the power and reliability is there. These are good, solid boats. The center console design gives you room for plenty of people and makes fishing easy. They may not have a lot of extra features and there’s always room for little improvements but, pound for pound, I don’t think you’ll find many boats that are better.

The price is definitely a reason to make sure you shop around and also know exactly what you want from a boat. If you don’t need 21 feet of jon boat, don’t buy 21 feet of jon boat. Bigger isn’t always better if it’s just going to waste and, for many boaters, you don’t need the extra room. But for those with families or for those who always go out on the water with a crew, a boat of this size really checks a lot of boxes and gives you what you need. 

These boats handle well and they can last a long time if they’re well cared-for. With plenty of space, plenty of storage, and even options to do some bowfishing there’s a lot to be said for what Tracker has to offer.

While the Tracker Grizzly 2070 definitely has a few issues that could be worked on, I think they’re minor enough that they don’t affect the overall value of the boat and for that reason I would recommend this to any boater looking for a jon boat over 20 feet.